5 Western Pennsylvania Hoopers Who Love Finishing Through Contact

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article, I highlight five players who excel at finishing through contact. They even seek it out. When they get in the lane, an aggressive bump from the defense won't throw them off. These are the type of players who get to the free throw line a bunch and make finishing a three-point play look easy. And they aren't just bigs — the guards on this list love physicality, too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Archie Murphey","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Fairview","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eArchie Murphey, a class of 2024 small forward at Fairview, distinguishes himself with his ability to finish through contact at the rim. His size allows him to hold his own in the paint, and he can finish with either hand, demonstrating his ambidexterity close to the rim. Not shying away from physicality, he willingly absorbs contact, leveraging it to his advantage, often drawing fouls or creating space to get his shots off.u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eMurphey's resilience around the rim also extends to his offensive rebounding. He thrives in the clutter of the paint, using his body to position himself for second-chance points. His fearlessness in the face of contact makes him a formidable presence on the boards.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1406035"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003e[player_tooltip player_id='1406035' first='Emery' last='Moye'], a Pine Richland shooting guard in the class of 2025, is an exceptional finisher at the rim. He displays a certain finesse and fearlessness when driving to the basket, a testament to his high physicality and tenacity. Moye's excellent footwork in the lane amplifies his finishing abilities, enabling him to create scoring opportunities in high-traffic scenarios. His affinity for contact is evident not just in his aggressive drives to the basket, but also in his ability to absorb and even initiate contact to create scoring chances, all while maintaining control and precision in his finishes.u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Sayyid Donald","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Oil City","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eSayyid Donald, a guard/forward rising Senior guard at Oil City, excels at finishing through contact. His physical strength shines through as he consistently penetrates the paint, even through aggressive defenders. Donald's footwork is exceptional, allowing him to maintain balance and control even while challenging plays.u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eHis proficiency in the up-and-under move adds another dimension to his scoring arsenal, creating scoring opportunities even when closely guarded. Donald is known for his reliable scoring in congested areas, particularly thriving in pick-and-roll scenarios. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2088841' first='Blayze' last='Myers']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"McDowell","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003e[player_tooltip player_id='2088841' first='Blayze' last='Myers'], a 6'1u0022 rising junior guard at McDowell, stands out due to his impressive ability to consistently finish through contact. Myers harnesses his size and strength to powerfully drive the ball to the hoop, utilizing his robust physique to navigate through defenders. His ability to endure contact and maintain control provides the Trojans with a reliable scoring option in high-pressure situations.u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eHis size and strength also come into play on the boards, where he proves to be a dominant force both on offense and defense. Defensively, Blayze's physical strength enables him to successfully defend against players of varying positions, from agile guards to bigger forwards. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1187880' first='Damon' last='Curry']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Franklin","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003e[player_tooltip player_id='1187880' first='Damon' last='Curry'], a rising Senior and top scorer at Franklin, exhibits a remarkable knack for finishing through contact. Last season, Curry led Franklin with an impressive average of 17 points per game, in part thanks to his exceptional skill at handling contact while converting scoring opportunities. Damon utilizes his size and strength strategically to craft advantageous angles at the rim, making him a difficult opponent to guard. With continued focus on his footwork and quickness, Curry's ability to finish through contact — already a standout feature of his game — could become even more formidable. u003c/spanu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6479f3c5ee9fa"} /-->